Chapter 302
I Became the Successor of the Martial God
Chapter 302.
The destination of the Falcon Knights was a mountain range far from the capital.
At the midslope of a towering mountain, standing at a crucial pass, was a fortress.
Almek Fortress.
"Welcome, Knight Commander! You must have had a hard journey to get here."
"Skip the pleasantries. What's the situation?"
Korn, the commander guarding Almek Fortress, saluted and reported.
"Yes! As previously reported, monsters have been appearing in this vicinity. The types are varied. Orcs, ogres, and even trolls have been sighted."
"A mixed bag. Orcs are one thing, but the other monsters aren’t usually seen around here, are they?"
"That’s correct. It seems a horde of monsters from another region may have migrated here."
It’s not common for monster hordes from other regions to relocate.
Typically, monsters tend to defend their territory while expanding their influence.
While it’s not unheard of, it’s hardly something extraordinary.
"Seems like they were defeated in a territorial dispute. Driven out, perhaps."
"That’s highly likely. The orcs that lived here probably submitted to that horde."
"How trivial."
Gabrielle scoffed.
If they were driven out after losing a territorial fight, their strength couldn’t be anything impressive.
But they’d make good training fodder.
"The troops must still be fatigued from the march. Rest today. We’ll begin hunting the monsters tomorrow at noon. Understood?"
—Yes!
The soldiers responded loudly and set up a simple encampment inside the fortress.
The knights were guided to separate quarters prepared by the fortress commander.
"……."
Gabrielle, watching from atop the fortress walls, let out a long sigh.
A sigh that felt heavy with unspoken thoughts.
‘This is no time for such trivial training.’
Gabrielle was well aware of the public opinion about her.
And she agreed with it.
Had Farowell not died, would she have ever become Knight Commander?
‘Unlikely.’
Despite his despicable personality, Farowell’s talent was immense.
Though she had only recently risen to prominence, given time, she would have become a knight rivaling Hayden.
‘If I had time, could I become a knight like Hayden?’
Gabrielle shook her head.
That realm was unattainable—not just for her, but for anyone in the order.
A Sword Master was simply on another level.
‘The Falcon Knights functioned smoothly until now because of Farowell.’
Most knights in the order had problematic personalities.
Gabrielle was no exception.
The only reason the order had functioned at all was because they all obeyed Farowell.
"From now on… that won’t be the case."
The knights of the order didn’t acknowledge Gabrielle.
They likely harbored ambitions to overthrow her and take the position for themselves.
"I must achieve merit."
Gabrielle bit her lip.
Merit substantial enough to secure her position as Knight Commander.
Anything, and quickly.
"……."
Her mind was in turmoil.
The next day, the monster hunt began under the leadership of the Falcon Knights.
As Korn had suspected, a horde of monsters from another region had settled near the fortress.
"There! First unit, charge!"
"Second unit, block their retreat! Third unit, hold the rear!"
The hunt proceeded smoothly.
While orcs were manageable, ogres and trolls were no ordinary foes.
—Ooooh…!
"Flank them!"
But the knights here were far from ordinary.
They belonged to one of the two elite knight orders of the kingdom.
Boom!
"Truly impressive. To take down that monstrous ogre so effortlessly…"
The ogre collapsed.
Korn, watching the knights’ combat, clicked his tongue in awe.
Gabrielle, however, remained expressionless.
"Not bad. They’re suitable opponents for training purposes."
"Is that so? Hmm… but something feels off. The monsters seem unusually frenzied today."
"Even better."
The purpose of this training was to hone the order’s formations.
If the monsters were more aggressive, it would only help achieve that goal.
"Is this all of them? There must be a leader somewhere."
"Y-yes. But we’ve yet to spot the leader."
"Then we’ll search for it."
The Falcon Knights swiftly exterminated the monsters in the mountains.
Once the area was cleared, Gabrielle divided the troops.
"Search the surroundings in formation. There must be a leader. Find it."
"Understood. And if we do?"
"Report to me."
"…Hmph, very well."
Gabrielle’s eyes narrowed.
Such insolence. They’d likely try to handle it themselves without reporting.
The knights and soldiers dispersed.
"Haah…"
Gabrielle sighed and set out to search for the leader herself.
Less to actually find it and more to pass the time.
But then—
"Hm?"
Something caught her eye as she scanned the area indifferently.
No, more accurately, her senses picked up on something.
"This is…"
A powerful magical energy lingered in the air—stronger than the other monsters’.
Likely the leader.
"This way."
"Ah, yes."
The magical traces could vanish at any moment.
Gabrielle followed the residual energy, moving deeper into the mountains, through the forest, and into a clearing.
"……."
There, something awaited.
In a wide clearing littered with broken trees stood a massive creature.
"Lady Gabrielle, an ogre—"
"Quiet."
An ogre larger than any ordinary one stood with its back turned.
But there was something peculiar about it.
It had two heads.
"A twin-headed ogre. Smarter than the usual kind."
"Then it must be the leader."
Gabrielle nodded and stepped forward, drawing her sword.
Korn tried to stop her.
"Lady Gabrielle! We don’t know what else is out there—we should call the other knights—!"
"Enough. I’ll handle this alone."
A twin-headed ogre was formidable, but she could take it alone.
She advanced, and the ogre noticed her.
—Grooowl…
"No time to waste. If you’ve got hidden lackeys, send them out now, ogre."
—Huff… Grrooowl…
The ogre gave no reply, only ragged breaths.
"Just a beast. It wouldn’t understand speech anyway. Then—"
Gabrielle’s pristine blade erupted with magical power, emitting a blue aura.
The distance closed.
As she swung, the ogre turned.
"Too late!"
She aimed to sever its legs and disrupt its balance—but her strike halted mid-motion.
She had no choice.
—Grrraaah!
"…!"
The sight of the ogre’s turned back was too shocking.
Its gut torn open as if devoured, legs tattered to the bone, the stench of decay.
She knew this.
"Undead!"
—Roooar!
The ogre roared and swung a massive club.
Gabrielle, momentarily stunned, quickly regained her composure.
‘No matter. Undead are weaker than their living counterparts.’
But she was wrong.
"Khh—?!"
The ogre’s movements were faster than expected.
Gabrielle barely parried the club with her blade.
"Impudent!"
But it was still undead.
She prepared to counterattack—until the soldiers’ shouts froze her.
"C-Commander!"
"Look over here!"
Dark magic circles flared to life, emitting ominous energy.
And from them—
—Khhh…
—Haaah…
Undead crawled forth.
Clawing through the circles, their movements grotesque as they seized the soldiers’ legs.
"Uwaaah!"
"Commander! Undead! Everywhere!"
Countless undead poured from the magic circles.
But their appearances were unusual.
"T-these undead…"
"By the gods…"
Undead clad in armor, resembling knights.
Each was massive, their bones pitch-black, exuding dark energy.
"First time— Gahk!"
—For our lord…!
The undead knights mercilessly attacked.
An ambush from below—the soldiers died before they could react.
"Y-you—! Back off! Do you know who I am?! I’m a knight of the esteemed—!"
—In the name of the Death King…! Join the Legion of the Dead!
"Aaah!"
Even the knights fell.
Splitting up had been a mistake. The sheer numbers overwhelmed even them.
"We can’t stay! Fall back—!"
Gabrielle tried to retreat after finishing the ogre.
But something blocked her blade.
A black barrier. Magic.
"Magic… Who’s there?!"
—Fufufu…
A chilling laugh echoed.
From the sky descended a figure clad in a black robe adorned with jewels.
One with no flesh on its face.
"A lich!"
But this was no ordinary lich.
Its massive frame, its bones unnaturally black, two pairs of horns sprouting from its skull.
Chains, as if binding it, draped over its body.
‘Is this really a lich?’
Its aura was leagues beyond any normal lich.
The lich landed slowly.
—Pitiful humans…
"Who—who are you?!"
—That is not for you to know.
The lich waved its hand.
A knight in pitch-black armor materialized beside it.
Its face hidden behind a monstrous helmet.
‘This is bad…’
The knight’s aura was anything but ordinary. And the lich—
The lich gestured, and magic circles flared behind it.
Boom!
"Gyaaah!"
A barrage of spells rained down.
The black knight swung its sword, releasing a dark aura that bisected soldiers.
"C-Commander! We’re surrounded!"
"What the— Gahk!"
Gabrielle gritted her teeth.
"Fall back! Now!"
"Y-yes!"
She led the retreat, ignoring those caught by the undead.
"Help! Save me!"
"Keep moving! Don’t look back!"
—Pursue. Leave none alive.
—Haaah…! Kill them all!
The lich’s command sent the black knight and undead after them.
Gabrielle bit her lip.
‘Undead have never swarmed the Kingdom of Baim like this. Such numbers mean…’
This wasn’t natural. Someone orchestrated it.
Likely that lich.
"Hah… Hahaha…"
"C-Commander?"
Gabrielle laughed.
She’d thought this would be trivial training. But no.
This was… an opportunity.
‘Eliminating monsters of this caliber would be substantial merit. Proof for those who doubt me.’
She had to prove she wasn’t just lucky to become Knight Commander.
"Commander! We must request reinforcements from the kingdom!"
"No, later! First, retreat to the fortress. Move!"
Even strong monsters could be defeated.
Gabrielle rallied the knights and hurried back to the fortress.
The lich watched her retreat indifferently.
Behind it, someone appeared.
"She’s quite ambitious."
—My lord.
It was Yoo Baek-jun.
The lich knelt as if to a king.
—Your command… The Legion of the Dead serves only the Death King.
These undead were summoned through the power of the Death King.
The Legion of the Dead—the Death King’s elite undead army.
‘This one’s no ordinary lich either.’
An Arch Lich, perhaps.
A monster capable of acting as a high-difficulty gate boss.
The black knight pursuing Gabrielle was of similar strength.
And they served Yoo Baek-jun.
"The knights will have retreated to the fortress. Chase and attack them. No need to take the fortress itself."
—Buying time, then…?
"Exactly."
The Arch Lich bowed, as if already understanding Yoo Baek-jun’s intent.
Yoo Baek-jun turned away.
"The details are yours to handle."
—Yes, my lord.
Gabrielle’s position was precarious.
Cornered, she’d seek to make a name for herself—blinding her to reason.
She wouldn’t return to the capital until these undead were dealt with.
‘Not that she ever could.’
Yoo Baek-jun smirked darkly.
It was time to begin the rebellion.